The wide variety of commercially available cosmetic products comprising synthetic or natural substances as active ingredient is primarily offered for assuring the smoothness, fineness, and recovery of the original natural condition of skin. However, the number and assortment of beauty products is restricted which have not only favorable effect on skin but also exhibit UV-screening activity.
Light can cause a wide variety of transformations of skin. The symptoms can range from the appearance of cosmetically unpleasant pigment marks such as age spots and freckles on the healthy but sun-sensitive skin through the slight or more serious inflammation of skin to even as severe as photodermatosis. The underlying disease is usually not cured, but only symptomatic treatment is carried out, such as by protecting the skin from sunlight.
Both the appearance of pigment marks and the underlying pathological processes are caused by rays in the UV-B (290-310 nm) and UV A (315-400 nm) wavelength ranges. In this interval the range of 280-320 nm is considered the most dangerous. (New Scien., 31.228/1969). Therefore, it is desirable that the light absorbing capacity of good UV-screening substances should extend over a wide wavelength range.
Numerous compounds proved to have UV-screening activity. Most of them can absorb light rays falling into the UV-B wavelength range (Derm. Wochen 52,313). There are much fewer compounds which are also effective in the UV A wavelength range.
The compounds absorbing the UV-B range, which absorb the pigment-forming rays are primarily cosmetic light filters, while those compounds which absorb rays of the UV B range generally exhibit therapeutic activity as well.
In our experiments we searched for a natural active ingredient of vegetable origin which is inexpensive, is easy to obtain, has a favorable effect on skin, and has a suitable light absorbing ability. The extract of elder blossom proved to be the most suitable for this purpose.
Black elder blossom (Sambucus nigra) belonging to the family of elder-flowers (Caprifoliaceae) is a known medical herb. Its fruits or flowers have been used for a long time to prepare herbal teas. (Rapoti, Romvari: Gyogyito Novenyek [medical plants], Medicina [Publisher] Budapest, Hungary, 1969). It smells sweetly and can be used to flavor consumber goods, soft drinks, wines, etc. (German Patent No. 2,031,145).
The small, yellowish white, typically pleasant smelling flowers of elder blossom are extremely rich in biologically active compounds, volatile oils, flavorants (Planta Medica 31, 365-370, 1983).
In addition to the volatile oils, such as linalol, geraniol, eugenol, perargonic acid esters, etc. that cause the pleasant smell, the flower of elder blossom also comprises numerous biologically important compounds which favorable effect on skin, enabling its use in cosmetics. From such substances e.g.:
kolin and rutin are compounds of a vitamin type; PA1 cholesterol, stigmasterol, sitosterol are the natural ingredients of skin which are also used in cosmetic industry as natural emulsifiers; PA1 the polysaccharides have antiphlogistic agent; PA1 methyl salicylate is also an antiphlogistic agent; PA1 emulsin is an enzyme; and PA1 sambunigrin is a glycoside which plays an important role min the regeneration of epithelic cells.
The elder blossom flower also comprises compounds of antiseptic activity (carvakrol, thymol). Thymol is by about an order of magnitude more effective than phenol against the pyogenic bacteria. In addition, it also possesses an anti-rancidity and germicidal effect.
Further ingredients of elder blossom flower that are worth mentioning from a cosmetic point of view are tannin, catechol, and other tanning materials having an emphractic feature, also fatty acid esters, and waxes forming a natural protective layer on the surface of the skin.
Our aim was to produce beauty products for the treatment of the face and body which are not only of a cosmetic nature, but also have a UV-screening effect.